chosen him to be a souldier 2 Tim. 2.4 Wee have Sanctuary work to attend 'T was death for the Priests if they did not abide in the Sanctuary according to their severall charges because the anointing oyl of the Lord was upon hem because they were solemnly appointed to this work and office Levit. 10.7 and 21.11 12. and 8.35 It is not reason that we shal leave the Word of the Lord say the Apostle and serve tables Act. 6.2 this was in ministring to the bodily necessities of the poor And shall we leave the Word of the Lord and serve the times or be securing trifles in comparison of eternity with the miscarriage of our peoples souls Oh! let us stir up the gift of God that is in us Had wee nothing to reflect upon but the laying on of others hands upon us this might bee enough to cause us to return upon our own hearts often and to revive and blow up whatsoever is of love or zeal in us to a vigorous execution of our office 2 Tim. 1.6 Are wee Officers of Christ and in his Church Surely wee had need ply our businesse hard Nor can we likely be too busie in our office who have I am sure the highest charge f 2 Tim. 4.1 2. the heaviest account g Heb. 13.17 the hardest work h 2 Tim. 4.2 5. Jer. 1.18 19 and the hottest warfare i 2 Tim. 2.3 4. Sect. 2. This truth calleth upon you over whom God hath set or committed or shall this day commit such officers This counselleth you how to esteem of and entertain them in exercise of their trust and execution of their Ministry Say you how As those that are officers of the Lord and as over you in the Lord 1 Thes 5.12 As those that are appointed of God to watch for your souls and must give an account Heb. 13.17 And therefore how should you submit your selves and obey them so far as they rule over you in the Lord that they may give up their account with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you as the Apostle adds What though such have been or now shall be outwardly appointed by men yet are they allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel 1 Thes 2.4 with Act. 13.2 3. Beloved those who are ordained of men according to God's Ordinance are yet God's Officers God's Ministers What else doth Paul assure us of the Elders or ordinary Pastors and Teachers of the Church of Ephesus which because ordinary could not be immediately put into office The Holy Ghost made them overseers Act. 20.28 Or what else doth he affirm of those of the Church at Colosse In his mention of Epaphras 't is our dear fellow-servant who is for you a faithful Minister of Christ Col. 1.7 When hee minds them their duty touching Archippus who was it seems none of the most circumspect or constant Minister 't is thus Say to Archippus take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it Col. 4.17 And what other language hear we concerning Tychicus Col. 4.7 Tychicus a beloved brother and a faithful Minister and a fellow-servant in the Lord. So far was it from truth in the purest primitive times that they were onely to bee accounted the officers and Ministers of the Lord who were immediately put into the office by the Lord. Well then let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 I say as Ministers of Christ not of the Common-wealth not of Antichrist I know there is a common reproach rolled upon the Ministry in England as if we were no other than Priests of Baal limbs of Antichrist Antichristian Priests c. So much unbridled are the spirits and speech of many that would seem to bee religious and thereby speak their religion vain * Isa 1.26 But beloved call you those or can they be Antichristian who have been so evidently opposed by Antichrist and so eminently owned by Christ as have been the zealous and strict Ministery in England and still are to this day Oh! how can you more honour more help up Antichrist or hurl more dirt and disgrace in the face of Jesus Christ than by calling those Ministers Antichristian who have been and are so powerfully able and so prosperously useful to break the league of so many thousands of souls with sin and death and to bring them over to the reall and ready imbracements of the service of God and life eternall ' Christians have not your eyes seen and ears eard of multitudes both of men and women that have been and still are begotten by them unto Christ through the Gospel and that are built up in communion with him through their Ministry in the Gospel Built up not in aëry speculations and dotage about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy strife railings c. This is easily done indeed and among us how eminently by the subtilty and zeal of seducers and such as consent not to wholesome words 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. But lo multitudes built up through the good hand of God upon the gracious Ministry in England in the reall abhorrency of sin the rich anointings of the Spirit in the life of faith the labour of love in the power of sanctification poverty of spirit in heavenliness of their minds within and holiness of manners without In a word to be doers of righteousness in the doctrine which is according to godliness Need I cal for Testimony to a truth so established in the mouth of more then two or three thousand witnesses k 2 Cor. 13.1 Need we as some others may the pious preachers to the pious people of England from it's first reformation say Need we as some others Epistles of commendation to you or letters of cōmendation from you Yee are our Epistle writen in our hearts known and read of all men Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart 2 Cor. 3.1 2.3 What is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his comming 1 Thes 2.19 And will you also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own steadfastnesse 2 Pet. 3.17 you of whom we have been so affectionately desirous as we were willing to have imparted to you not the Gospel of God only but also our own souls because ye were dear to us 1 Thes 2.8 And will you also listen to their scurrulous imputations who compasse us about with words of hatred and say Come and let us smite them with the tongue who cannot now smite them with the sword and let us not give heed to any of their words Jer. 18.18 Why Sirs ye are our work in the
of them and the Lord is among them wherefore then lift you up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord Numb 163 Nor could I ever yet hear of any thing more eminent among them than is error and confusion who have taken qualifications to give Commission Alas this must needs break the unity and blast the purity of the Churches quickly N 1. It must needs break the unity of the Chuâ—ches a blessing how desirable in it self and how dear to our Saviour if nothing but fitness and forwardness bee requisite to make an Officer or Minister Wo to the Common-wealth of this Israel If every one that had ability had therefore authority too If every one that probably is or presumeth himself to be fit for such or such an Office were thereby put into it and must be so obeyed or if every one who is qualified for must bee therefore counted a Judge Justice yea or but a Constable Hath God provided against such intrusions upon civill Offices and will he permit it in sacred Taken such care in order to the accord and quiet of the Common wealth and hath he thrown it by with respect to his Church which is so much dearer to him than are all the Societies in the world beside Who would be ruled if but to presume our selvs qualified would make us rulers either in Church or State Surely this would make the militant Church like that military body where qualifications to command were a commission for a Company The Church should have all Officers and no Souldiers quickly and if it did not run with such an army into blood and confusion yet would soon and surely run with it into bitternesse and contentions ' He that can secure me the peace and unity of that Kingdome where every one that is fit may be thereby supreme or of that County wheâ—â— every one that is fit may be thereby Sheriffe or but of that Corporation where every one that is fit may be thereby Major shall be with me a none-such among men and may perswade if any that the beauty and harmony of the Churches of Jesus may be preserved too wherein every one that judgeth himself fit is thereby made a Minister and Officer Let me add â—his if Ministers are not Officers * the Church hath none For who else can shew me so clear evidences And if men may bee bold with this Office in the Church to invest themselves with it and to execute at pleasure why they should be backward to or baulk any other Office I know not For this of all others is most sacred and most circumscribed And if all Offices lye in common where shall we look for the Churches Concord Ah Sirs have wee read the 12 to the Romans from the the 3 to the 9 or the 1 Cor. 12 And can we think our blessed head and Master in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and kindnesse so remisse about conferring Offices and so regardlesse of the Churches concord as this amounts to What! are there so many unities and all with respect had to the Church One body and one spirit even as they are called in one hope of their calling one Lord one faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in them all Eph. 4.5 6. Lo therefore Christ hath given Pastours and Teachers names of Office verse 8 11. that they may keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace verse 3. and that till we all come in the unity of the faith c. ver 13. N. 2. This will blast the purity of the Churches too and let in what not that is destructive to verity and the power of Godlinesse If our stiâ—ring times have not given sufficient testimonie to this sad truth I know not what times ever did or shall What through uncalled Preachers and uncatechised hearers Oh! the havock and convulsions that are made in the Churches of Jesus And indâ—ed who can expect but that those who will vainly or violently enter upon the Ministery without Ordination shall likewise venturously employ themselves in it without observation Witnesse those false teachers whereof Peter tells vs. 2 Peter Chapter 2. and Jude from the fourth to the twentieth verse Who may or how can wee expect other than unsetlednesse in the love of the Gospell and unsoundnesse in the life of godlinesse from that man or men who shake off the order of the Gospell Surely they that heap to themselvs teachers walk but after their own lusts therein and have it ching ears turned from the truth and unto fables 2 Tim. 4.3 4. And therefore whether they that make themselvs teachers are like to walk in the law of God and to lead you in the ways of that truth which is according to godlinesse judg ye What lesse can be said than this That measuring themselvs by themselves and comparing themselvs among themselvs they are not wise and if the premisses be considered how wicked Sect. 3. It 's for the beartning and comfort of such teachers that beside qualifications they shall have the Office committed to them their comfortable incouragement much conducing to the credit and interesse of that King Jesus whose Embassadours they are Sirs the duties difficulties and discouragements of Ministers how various are they how involved And alas what sorry things are our best qualifications to support us without the strong aid of that grace which sets before us the benefit of our Commission to stay and cheer our hearts Who of us my brethren but must confess with Paul that wee are not sufficient of our selvs so much as to think any thing as of our selvs Where then is our sufficiencie and what is our support Our sufficiency is of God who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament 2 Cor 3.5 6. That God who hath made us Ministors is the spring head of our sufficiencies in the discharge and exercise of our Ministry and that God hath made us Ministers is the stay and basis of our hopes in all the difficult emergencies of our Ministry * See 2 Tim. 1.11 12. That our God hath sent us is the stablishing consideration against all despondencies and discouragements that he will supply strengthen secure and work all our works in us and for us And Lo by this it is that God would have us to chide down our fears and to keep up our faith I sanctified thee saith he to Jeremie and I ordained thee a Prophet unto the Nations Doth Jeremie say Aâ— Lord God! I am a child behold I cannot speak Ay but hear what the Lord saith unto Jeremy say not 〈◊〉 am a child for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak Be not affraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee saith the Lord Behold I have made thee a defenced City c. Jer. 1.5 6 7 8 18 19. An beloved God doth
and spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 If they had not acquired learning i. e. by their own studâ—es they had which is better infused learning by the Spirit of grace The Spirit did still make an extraordinary supply of learning from himself unto such as were allowed of him in the Ministâ—y that were without an ordinary supply thereof by Schools of learning To one was given saith Paul by the Spirit the word of wisedom to another the word of knowledg by the same Spirit to another prophesie to another discerning of spirits to another diverse kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues all which were wrought by the self-same Spirit 1 Cor. 128 10.11 2. Sect. Do not adventure upon publick authoritative teaching in the Church without a commission If you expect the assistance acceptance allowance and approbation of Christ Oh! do not adventure upon it without authority first given you of Christ If affectation if avarice if ambition or whatever else it be shall be putting you on let the aw of this truth of God your accountableness to the God of truth prepoÌ„derate stay you back as ever you would answer it to Christ to his Church or to your own Consciences another day Sirs the time is coming when aâ—l Vâ—zards shall bee pluck'd off and what were your aims by what your abilities for and why you declined authorâ—zing to the Ministry shall bee produced in open Court and conscience shall bee put to it will you nill you to answer such interrogatories as these are Who made you a teacher in Israel who required this at your hands who gave you this authority c. And sirs will not this bee a sad indictment from the Lord in that day I did not send these Prophets these preachers yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied Well is it so that such teachers must have a commission as well as qualifications from our Lord Jesus Christ Oh! that such among us who exercise the Ministry enjoy the maintenance and expect the reverence of Ministers yet never entred by the door of Ordination upon the discharge of this Office but have climbed up some other way would seriously lay it to heart What is the Ministry an Office and the external committing of the Ministry unto men God's Ordinance how is it then that such do that I say not that such daâ—e ordinarily exercise the Ministry as to the preaching part who never were and perhaps never will be who never did design nor do now desire to be solemnly set apart to the Ministry Consider I pray you these two things 1. That to do the proper work of a Minister or Officer of God cannot bee safe 2. To do the preaching work of a Minister cannot but be sinfull N. 1. To do the proper work of a Minister or Officer of God cannot bee safe without his ordination or appointment thereunto Men may passe it by it is true but God will not put it up unpunished The holiest pretexts of Korah and his complices will not help them if they seek the Priesthood Numb 16.3.10 31.32 33. God is so far from bearing withit in common men that he would at no hand take it from the chiefest magistrate witnesse Sauls losse of the Kingdome for it though burdened then with so great straits 1 Sam. 13 8 to 15 Vzziahs leaprosie to the day of his death for it though before this hee had been blessed with so great successe 2 Chron. 26.16 to 22. And now beloved is not ordinary authoritative teaching in the Church the proper work of a Minister of Christ Yea what is if this benot Wherefore or whereunto is a Minister ordained else if not to be a Preacher and Teacher of the Church in faith and verity 1 Tim. 2.7 wherefore worthy of double honour else if not for labouring in the word doctrine which eminently bespeaketh preaching 1 Tim. 5.17 Wherefore is the Gospell and this Office committed to him else if not for manifesting the word through preaching Tit. 1.3 yea indeed not so much to baptize as to preach 1 Cor. 1.17 Beloved therefore 't is we are allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel 1 Thes 2 4. therfore are we appointed of God to this trust in the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.11 therefore and thereunto it is that we are so adjured and called upon God in the Gospell I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judg the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom preach the word be instant inseasoÌ„ out of seasoÌ„ c 2 Tim. 4.1 2. ' Sirs is there any proper act of a Gospel-Minister If there be not why do you not plainly tell us there is no such Officer left us If there be may not preaching put in as fair and full yea a fairer and fuller claim than any Say you the administration of the Sacraments is al proper act of this Officer Be it so but consider I beseech you whether preaching may not put in for the precedence thereunto Are Gospell-Ministers more eminently or more expresly said either to be commissioned to be Ministers for that act then for this 1 Cor. 1.17 1 Tim. 2.7 or more commended in their ministry by that act than by this 2 Tim. 2.15 or more to bee counted of with respect to their ministry for that act than for this 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Thes 5.12 13. or are we more often or more openly circum-scribed or described as the Ministers of the Lord by that than by this ibid Heb. 13.7 Or are wee more concerned and commanded and charged to attend upon that act of our Ministery than this Rom. 12.7 8. 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. Sure I am though I exclude not the administration of the Sacraments from being a proper act of an Office-Minister and one of those purposes and ayms why God will have men put into the Ministry yet preaching the Gospell is with more abundant frequency expressed among the acts of Ministers and with more abundant fulness evinced to be the aym of God by the Ministry If you have but overly read the Scriptures yet you cannot but observe this With what consonancy therefore to sound reason or Scripture-revelation the administration of Sacraments shall be received to bee the Proper act of a Minister of Christ and authoritative teaching rerejected mean-while judge ye And if it be as it is proved to be the proper act of a Minister thus to preach authoritatively what an adventure you run what an attempt you rush upon Oh that you may attend in time who Ordinarily discharg this part of our Office without Ordination thereunto N. 2. Todo the preaching work of a Minister ordinarily without Ordination cannot but be sinfull What though we yeeld that there may be an essay without it for tryal of qualifications wil it therefore be an excuse for such who make it a trade or course or because the
cannot be concealed that wee have in these times a great many half-Christians * Act. 26.18 halfe professors and it must be confessed that we have but too many half-ministers or half-pastours as to the execution of their Office And surely to me it seems not much an inferiour solecism according to Scripture to hear of an half-Minister as to hear of an half-Christian in grace or an half-man in nature 2. This calleth upon you so to demean your selves in the work of the Ministry as those that have the Office committed unto you of God ' The man of God especially in the matters of God must not be or behave himself only after the rate of other men 2 Tim. 2.24 1 Tim. 6 11. The ordinary works we perform should leave a relish savour of that sacred word we preach of this spiritual Office we are put into An Sirs what examples should wee Pastours be to our people in well-nigh every particular in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity 1 Iim 4.12 Tit. 2 7. 1 Pet. 5 3. He that hath my word lâ—t him speak my word faithfully what is the chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23.28 And oh that we may shew our selves approved unto God and workmen that need not to bee ashamed before men 2 Tim. 2.15 Say you how should we 1 Let us do our work convincingly convincingly both in regard of others consciences a Joh. 8.9 and of our own Commission b 2 Cor. 6.1 Let us do it with authority like our Saviour and not as the Scribes Mat. 7.29 as those that are ful of power and of judgment and of might by the Spirit of the Lord Mic. 3.8 That when we preach or pray or censure or comfort c. there cometh in one that believeth not he may be so convinced of us and judged of us and the secrets of his heart made manifest As that falling down on his face he may worship God and report that God is in us of a truth 1 Cor. 14.24 25. 2. Let us do our work conscientiously and sincerely without partiality as to man and with purposes for God ' For why else is our Commission 1 Tim. 1.11 12 what else is God's Command 2 Tim. 2.15 or what lesse will be our comfort 2 Cor. 1.12 and must be our character 2 Cor. 2.17 1 Be not partial towards men how shall we then prove our selves the Ministers and Stewards of Christ 2 Cor. 4 1 2. who must give every one their portion of meat in due season Luk. 12.42 Let us remember God's Covenant with Levi Deut. 33 8 9. and the command he hath left with us 1 Tim. 5.21 And truly it is worth our most serious reflections upon our selvs whether what the Lord somtime in way of reproof told the Priests doth not now as particularly reach us in the midd'st of so many reproches viz. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people according as ye have not kept my ways but have been partiâ—l in my law Mal. 2.9 Again 2. Let all our purposes center in God Wee are unworthy to bee called his Officers who are carelesse of his honour and unworthy that hee should have a care of ours 1 Sam. 2.30 Sirs let us not preach our selves but Jesus the Lord 2 Cor. 4.5 As of sincerity as of God in the sight of God so let us speak in Christ 2 Cor. 2.17 What I would we please men how are we then the servants of Christ Col 1.10 As we are allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel even so let us speak not as pleasing men but God who trieth our hearts 1 Thes 2.4 3. Let us do our work couragiously strenuously without despondency or shrinking without dejection or sinking If God's Commission and concurrence will not bear up our hearts and bear us up thorow hardships I know not what will A prisoner with these at the bar is able to face and fright a Judge upon the bench Act. 24.25 ' Were we Embassadours in bonds yet we ought to speak boldly Ephe. 6. vers 20. Such is the person we sustain and the place we stand in What should baulk or brow-beat us who have such an authority to warrant us and such almightinesse with us to work all our works in us and for us 2 Tim. 1.11 12. Were wee private men or went wee but upon a private message well might our hearts mâ—ditate terrors But being Officers of Christ and such as hee will own to the worlds end nor bonds nor blood or death should move us Act 20.23 24 and 21.13 A few bâ—g looks or bitter words or biting scoffs are sorry bug-bears to daunt a Commission-officer of Jesus to whom is given all power both in heaven and earth aâ— he â—â—lls us for our encouragement Mat 28.18 19 20. How would we have born to have stood at the bar c Act. 25.6 7 or have sate in the stocks d c. 16.23 24 25. or have been scourged at the Whipping-poast e 2 Cor. 11.24 with our predecessors yet were they bold in our God to speak the Gospell of God wiâ—h much contention 1 Ihes 2.4 and waxed the bolder by their own and others bounds Phil. 1.14 Act. 4.29 4 Let us do our Ministeriall work carefully and diligently neither listning to our own idlenesse nor led away of other intanglements Oh the weight of that one Scripture worthy to be ingraven in letters of gold upon all our Study-doors and to be continually recorded in our hearts Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profitting may appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all men in all things by all means Take heed unto thy self unto your doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self them that hear thee 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. ' Are we Officers we must wait on our Office he that teacheth on teaching and he that exhorteth on exhortation Rom. 12.7.8 Whosoever have time to spare for the toys and vanities of the world we have none whose time is Christs and his Churches and who are to give our selvs wholly to the word 1 Tim. 4.15 Oh how puzâ—â—ng and perplexing would such questions as these be if Christ should put them unto us Why stand ye here perhaps all the day idle We cannot say No man hath hired us Mat. 20.6 7. Or what dost thou here Elijah 1 King 19.9 13. be we either in the Cave or in the croud either weary of our callings or wasting our time to and fro about lower concernments Sirs are not we the souldiers of Christ No man that warreth intangleth himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath